


Love, No Matter What

by princessalie72 (orphan_account)



Category: Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Pop Music RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-03
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-02-07 07:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 22,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1891284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/princessalie72
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The trappings of fame get to JC Chasez and just about ruin his life. And his best friend Hailey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Hailey, how about this?" Corrie held up a pair of cargo Capris and a cute t-shirt. Hailey looked at it. She tilted her head to the side looking at the outfit. 

"Hmmmmm. No that's not right." 

Corrie rolled her eyes and hung the clothes back up. They had been to every store at the mall and still haven't found what Hailey was looking for. 

"Maybe, Hail, if you told me what you are looking for this would go better. I mean, obviously your looking for something specific." 

Hailey looked at her cousin Corrie thoughtfully. She WAS shopping for something special. She was going on vacation for two weeks. She was going to spend two weeks with her best friend. Corrie was her cousin so she fell into a different category completely in the friend department. She was also telling this best friend she was in love with him. A decision that she had came to the last time she saw him. 

"Cor, let's go sit down and talk. Maybe you can help me." 

She was sure Corrie would be happy with her decision. She had been pestering Hail to tell him before he even left to be in *NSYNC. She just didn't want to interrupt his life. He wanted to be a star. She was happy being the small town girl. Working at Wal-Mart and shopping at Old Navy. The two girls grab a Pepsi and some nachos. They go sit at a table in clear view of the fountain in the middle of the food court. 

"So, Hail what are we shopping for. Other than you vacation wardrobe?" Hailey laughed. They had already got her three new outfits. None of them were what she wanted for a huge "I love you" confession. 

She didn't know what kind of clothes you wore for that, but she knew it wasn't any of the ones she had just purchased. When she had decided to tell him the first time she chickened out. 

She smiled thinking back to that. 

...flashback...   
May 2001 

"Ok Hail, check it out." Hailey opened her eyes to see what had to be the biggest bad ass stage she had ever laid eyes on. 

"Dude, is all this stuff safe? I mean geeze. I thought the puppet stunt last year was enough." He laughed. She loved to hear him laugh. It was getting harder and harder not to tell him how she felt. 

"So are you guys insured up to the eyeballs for this?" 

"I sure hope so because this whole going in the air crap all the time is a pain in the ass. It's so going to break when I am up on the stupid thing." Hailey laughed and turned around to see Chris and his crew coming down the isle. 

"Hey Chris. I know they are soooooo mean to you." Chris gave her a hug. 

"You all better sit down. We are going to be starting soon." She turned to where he was standing. He smiled at her and winked. She winked back and went over to where all the guests were sitting. 

This was something special that the guys did for their friends and family. They showed off the new show before it even leaves the place they are rehearsing. Which this time was in Louisiana. A complete show run through. Hailey went up to the seats. Everyone was here. Justin's mom and step-dad, his dad and step-mom, Britney, her parents and little sister. Joey's family was there. It looked like a Fatone family reunion. She shook her head. Lance's family was there along with Meredith, his protege. JC's faimly as well. Bobbi even came. Chris had his family there and Dani along with a few of Chris's buddies from the FuMan crew. There were about 100 people there altogether and they all knew each other. 

There was so much talking that the guys had to yell to be heard. 

"HEY!" JC yelled and everyone looked at him. 

"We are going to start in like 5 minutes. So get in your seat Anderson." Hailey turned around and stuck her tongue at him. 

Britney, Bobbi, Meredith, and Dani had all taken front row seats. She sat down next to Bobbi. All four of the girls chatted. Hailey liked them all. All of a sudden the lights went down and the music started. No one could see where the guys were at. Then the 5 of them walk out onto the stage in the same outfits that they ended the _No Strings Attached_ tour with. The cloaks. Or so they thought. Without warning the five guys disappeared into the stage. The girls in the front row were like whoa! Britney leaned over and said, "I think I will have to remember that for my show." 

Hailey and the other girls laughed. 

Then the guys came out of the pyramid in the center of the stage. This got a round of applause from everyone there. 'Way cool trick.' Hailey thought. 

The rest of the show rocked as well. Everyone could tell that this was going to be big. Everyone looked at Britney when Justin did a song called Gone. She was in awe. After it was done she stood up and gave a standing ovation. She looked down at the other girls and said, 

"Now that's what I like to come home to." The girls all laughed as Justin shouted I love you Brit from the stage. 

This made Hailey get a little sad. She wanted that. But she didn't want it with just anyone. She wanted it with him. She watched him the next few songs with sadness in her eyes. Bobbi whispered to her. 

"When are you going to tell him?" Hailey looked at her. 

"Tell who what?" Bobbi smiled. 

"Tell your buddy up there that you love him?" Hailey's eyes got wide. 'Was she that obvious?' Dani heard what Bobbi said and put her two cents in. 

"Yea I think you should talk to him tonight." Hailey turned to see Dani, Britney and Meredith all looking at her. 

Hailey was beside herself. "How do you guys know I am in love and with him?" She points to where he is standing on the stage. 

"Because," Britney says, "we are women. We all know what a woman in love looks like. Guys don't but we do." Hailey nodded. 

"Just come right out and tell him?" All four girls nodded. 

"Ok, I will" 

The conversation ended abruptly with an "O MY GOD" from somewhere behind them. The looked to see the guys including a very very nervous Chris being pulled into the air over the stage. Space Cowboy was the song. 

"Poor Chris." Dani said. Hailey looked up. Poor Chris is right. The guy looked like he wanted to puke. She didn't understand why he did those stunts. Or why the guys get them ideas. 

By the end of the concert the excitement was so high that Hailey decided against telling him. She just wanted to enjoy the excitement and not put any added stress on him. She left four days later keeping her secret still. 

...end flashback... 

"Earth to Hailey. Come in Hailey." Corrie knocked her playfully on her head. Hailey shook her head. 

"O sorry Cor, what did you ask?" 

"I asked what specifically are you looking for?" She smiled at Corrie. 

" I am looking for an outfit that screams I love you." 

At that Pepsi shot out of Corrie's mouth half way across the food court. Hailey laughed. 

"What did you just say..an outfit that screams I love you?" Hailey nodded. Corrie just stared at her cousin in disbelief. She was going to do it. After years of nagging she was going to do it. 

Corrie took another swig of Pepsi and then said 

"So you are finally going to tell him you love him. You are finally going to tell JC Chasez of *NSYNC that you love him." Hailey smiled. 

"Yup. I am. I am scared to death, but I am going to do it." 

Corrie smiled wide at her cousin. 

"Well, Hail. It's about freaking time." They laughed and finished their food.


	2. Chapter 2

JC was laying with his head back against the seat on the bus. He needed to get out of there. Being on the bus all the time was driving him nuts. He looked at his watch. 1:30AM. He used to be asleep by now. Things had changed considerably in the past few months. 

He looked out the window. 'We should be at the hotel soon', he thought. He looked down to where Justin and Chris were playing some game on the Playstation. Lance was reading a book and Joey was asleep on the other couch. 

His cell was vibrating. He didn't have it on ring because he didn't want to talk to anyone. He knew who it was anyhow. She always called at 1:30 after every show. Although he hadn't spoken to her since the Buffalo show. They were in Washington DC, right now. He pulled it out and listened to the message. 

"JC..ummm I don't know what's going on but it has been forever since we talked. I miss you dude. Call me." 

JC just erased the message and put his phone back. Yes. Things had definitely changed. The things he thought he needed, he didn't. The things he thought he didn't need he did. He opened eyes back up when the bus stopped. 

Justin looked at his watch. 'Hmmm. Hailey usually calls C, about this time.' 

"Hey JC, have you heard from Hail at all? I mean it's been like weeks and she hasn't called." JC opened one eye to look at Justin. 'I wish they would mind their own freaking business'. 

"Nope. She hasn't called. Maybe she is busy working. School shopping time you know. All those book bags and lunch boxes to stock." The guys missed the disgusted undertones at which he said those words. 

Justin's cell rang about 10 minutes later. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey J what's up?" Justin looked at JC leaning his head back. 

"Why are you calling me?" 

"I just called JC's phone and left a message. I have called almost every night for a month now. J, what's going on?"

Justin could hear the panic in her voice. He was confused. C had just told him the she hadn't called. Strange things were definitely happening. 

"I don't know, girl. I don't know." He heard her sigh. 

"Well, I am still planning on being in Pittsburgh when you guys get there. Hopefully I can find out what his issue is then." 

Justin watched as JC got up and went to the back of the bus and grab his backpack. They were getting ready to go into the hotel. 

"Cool. Are you going to tell him then, too?" Hailey rolled her eyes. 

"Yes J I am." Justin smiled. Maybe that's what JC needed to get himself out of whatever funk he was in. 

"Ok girl, we are at the hotel so I gotta get going." 

"Ok, J talk to you later and take of JC for me, K?" 

"You got it girl." They hang up. 

JC looked at Justin. He looked pissed. 'Great, what got up the baby's ass this time?' he thought. 

"So C, when was the last time Hail called you?" 

Joey had since woken up and was moving around. Lance and Chris were standing up. All three stopped when the heard the accusing tone in which Justin had just asked JC that question. 

"What?" JC was in no mood for Justin's antics. He just wanted to get off the freaking bus and get on with his night. 

"You heard me, when did you talk to Hailey, you know your best friend, last?"

JC snorted. Yea right. Hailey. His best friend. He was so beyond that. He had a new best friend. He absently patted the side pocket of his backpack. JC shrugged. "I think Buffalo or something. She hasn't called or anything." Lying had become second nature to him the last month. Justin looked at JC. 

"Bull****." JC scowled. 'Great, now J is going to get on his high horse.' 

"She just called me C. She has left messages everyday for a month and you haven't called her back. Why?"

Chris stepped in because this looked like there was going to be a fight. 

"OK guys, calm down." JC took a step back. 

"Justin, mind your own ******* business." With that he shoved Justin out of the way and left the bus. 

Justin looked at Lance and Chris. 

"Guys, I am very worried about JC. He has been acting funny for almost a month now and it looks like it just got worse." Chris and Lance were packing up the stuff they wanted for the hotel. Joey spoke up 

"I noticed too." Then they knew something was up for sure. Joey never noticed anything. 

Lonnie came up and told them it was time to get into the hotel. Justin was first, then Lance Joey and Chris. 

"Where is JC?" 

"I thought he went into the hotel already?" Lonnie shook his head. 'Not again' JC was taking to disappearing on a nightly basis the last few weeks. 

"Do any of you know what's going on with him?" Lance, Justin and Chris just shrugged and shook their heads. 

Joey shrugged as well and as he pushed by the guys to go into the hotel he said, "maybe C is taking drugs." The four other guys looked at each other. The shook their heads. Chris said with a laugh 

"Yea, right. Drugs." They walk into the hotel trying to get that thought out of their heads.


	3. Chapter 3

Hailey hung up the phone with Justin and had a sinking feeling. She knew something was wrong with JC. She felt it. She always felt it. One time when they were kids, he went away to camp and broke his leg. She knew something happened. She had run to his parents house and asked how JC was doing. No sooner had she got there that the phone rang to tell them that JC had been hurt. 

It had always been like that for them. He always knew when she needed him and vice versa. He needed her now. She felt it in every inch of her being. She also sensed that JC didn't want her help. 

She got up off the couch and went into the kitchen of her little apartment. Thinking back to when she got it. She was so happy to be living on her own. At one time she had dreamed that her and JC would live like this. Small. Quiet. Happy. Then he joined the cast of the MMC. She knew he wanted to be in the music business. She grabbed a Pepsi out of the fridge and went out to the little balcony just off the kitchen. 

He had asked her to come with him and his family when they moved to Orlando. She could have went, both her parents were dead and she was living with her aunt. Her aunt said she would support her no matter what. In the end she decided to stay back. If JC got to be the star he was destined to be then he needed a place he could call home and come back to. 

That is what she tried to be. His home. His anchor when everyone in the world wanted a piece of him. He had been to her place maybe like 5 times since she rented it 3 years before hand. It was just easier to go to wherever he was when they wanted to visit. She got up and looked at all the flowers in her flower boxs. She smiled. The one flower box was from the guys. She loved the guys. 

After the MMC ended she thought maybe her and JC had a chance. It was the first time that she had contemplated telling him she loved him. Then the call came to be in *NSYNC and he was gone. 

Again she kept the secret to herself. Only Corrie knew. Eventually after awhile Justin had it figured out too. But he promised to keep it a secret. But that was only on threat of telling everyone about him and Britney. She might have let the thought cross her mind again a year or so ago, but by then he had met Bobbee. She liked her. Even now they remain friends. Bobbee is actually her biggest supporter for telling JC how she felt. 

Well, that was going to happen. In about a 3 days when she meets up with the guys. She was going to tell that boy she couldn't live without him.


	4. Chapter 4

"WHERE IN THE HELL IS HE?!?!!?" The guys all were standing in the back of a room. They were supposed to be interviewed by J14 magazine and Bobbie was furious. Justin looked around at the rest of the guys. They shrugged. Having no clue how to handle this new JC. The one who seemed not give a rats ass about anything but himself. 

"I am going to go see if he is around here somewhere. Man he is so going to get a piece of my mind when I find him." The guys chuckle knowing that there was only one other person who can let JC have it better than Bobbie. Hailey. 

Bobbie walked around the small building. There were only like 4 rooms, she had already perused three of them so she decided to check the back room where the guys all put their stuff. When she got up to the room the door was cracked and she could see JC. She was about to say something when she realized what he was doing. She blinked back tears. 'O My god, JC'. She had no idea to handle this. She watched as he put a small vial back in his coat pocket. A coat which he never takes off anymore. He says he's always cold. 

She just took off at a run back to where the rest of the guys were waiting. When she entered the room, Justin asked.. 

"So is he here yet?" She nodded solemnly. 

"What's wrong Bobbie?" She looked at the 4 guys. 'How in the heck do you tell somebody what she just saw?' She also needed a little more proof before she confronted everyone with it. 

"When is Hailey going to be here J?" Justin looked at her funny. 

"In like 3 days, why?" She sighed. 

"Good. She just needs to be here as soon as possible." By that time JC walked into the room. 

Everyone looked at him and stared. He rolled his eyes. 'Jesus, these guys won't leave me alone will they.' He put on his best JC face and looked at the guys.

"Sorry guys, I woke up with a killer headache and overslept." They all looked at him in disbelief. 

"Dude, you NEVER oversleep, what up with that?" JC looked at Chris. What used to be funny and what JC loved about Chris was annoying the hell out of him. 

"Chris, how old are you..30... grow up and start talking like an adult and not like you are ready to jump on a scooter and take off with Aaron Carter or something." Chris looked at JC. He was hurt by that, but wouldn't let JC know that. 

"Dude, as long as the scooter is motorized I'm game." He turned and sat down refusing to give JC the benefit of seeing him blink back tears. 

Bobbie could not believe what she just heard. JC was way out of control. She needed to do something. She just needed to get to Hailey and talk to her when she met up with the guys. 

Justin was pissed. Lance was shocked and Joey look like he wanted to kill JC. Things were falling apart quickly and no one knew why. 

"C, what was that about?" Justin spoke with as much calmness as he could muster. JC had sat down so he rolled his head and turned to look at Justin. 

"What? I just told it like it was. Got a problem with that Golden boy? Because if you do we can take care of it right now." JC stood up in front of Justin. When Justin looked in his eyes he saw something he didn't like. 

"What's wrong with you, C? You are acting like an asshole and we don't know why?" JC shrugged. 

"Takes one to know one your royal crunkness..." With an exaggerated bow JC left the room. Leaving 5 stunned people. Joey spoke up first. 

"What the hell was that?" 

Bobbie started to cry. Hopefully things would stay together until Hailey arrived. Then they would figure out what to do. As of right now, they had to just hold on and see what happens. 

~~~~~ 

JC had ran out of the room and into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. He needed to get out of there. He needed to forget the looks on their faces. But first he had to take care of something. He went into a stall and took off his jacket. He took out the vial and small needle that he always had with him. He smiled as he filled the needle up with the liquid. 'Boy, it's amazing how my fear of needles disappeared' He shot the stuff in his arm and felt it course through his veins. 

This is why he got this stuff. It relaxed him instantly. He put the needle back in his pocket along with vial. 'I need to get some more tonight.' Jack was his provider of all things enjoyable in this department. One night when he couldn't sleep he walked around a hotel. He had run into some of the roadies having a party. 

Jack had asked him to join them. He saw no harm in it. So he sat down. They passed around a joint or two and some beer. He had said no, but after awhile decided it might help him sleep. SO from there it has escalated into what he was doing now. He didn't perceive it as a problem. He perceived it as a way to release the stress of the last couple of years. 

Once he was calm and not shaking he walked out of the bathroom. He got in the limo with the guys not caring that they were not speaking to him. He did his job. What he did with the rest of his life was none of their business.


	5. Chapter 5

Hailey had just got done calling Bobbie. She had got a message telling her that as soon as she got into Pittsburgh to call her. There were some strange messages on her machine the last two days. 

The first one was from Justin. That one said that if there was anyway possible to get there sooner to try. It was urgent. She couldn't. She had taken two weeks off and was working overtime so she would have some money when she was with the guys. 

 

The second one was from Bobbie. Again asking her if she soul get there sooner. She told her the same thing she told Justin. She couldn't. By the time she was in Pittsburgh she was scared to death. She hadn't talked to JC in over a month. No phone call. No letter. No e-mail. That was not a good sign. 

The urgency in which Justin and Bobbie talked to her made her think there was a serious issues with JC that they weren't telling her. She just needed to get to him and see that he was ok. 

~~~~~~ 

"JC, you can't leave again. Come on, you haven't hung with us in a long time." JC laughed. Not a nice laugh. 

"I have other things to do. People to see. I am expanding my horizons." Besides there was this cute little thing that works on the crew that he just discovered. Unlike some women he knew, she gave him what he wanted. When he wanted it. Without attachments. Not just that, she had connections to some good stuff. Nights had never been more fun. He shook his head as the unwanted image of Hailey invaded his drug induced haze. She was the last person he wanted to see. 

In fact she is part of the reason he wanted to escape. He was in love with her. At one time anyhow. She never showed any interest. He was sick of being around her. He had wanted to be more than friends, but it never worked out that way. 

Chris, Joey, Lance and Justin were trying to get him to stay. They knew that Hailey was going to show up. They had hoped that the element of surprise would wake JC up. Joey and Lance thought the issue was drugs. That JC was into drugs. But they were not 100% positive. They didn't think Justin and Chris had that thought. They wanted to believe the best in JC. 

JC was getting ready to leave again, so he walked out of the bus and ran right into Hailey. Hailey's eyes lit up and she smiled. She gave JC the biggest hug, but pulled back when she wasn't being hugged back. 

She stepped off the steps and JC followed. Justin, Chris, got off the bus and stood next to it. Watching what would happen. 

She put her hand on his cheek. It's was cold. He pulled back from her touch. He scowled at her. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" She blinked. This is was not her JC. This was some Mr.Hyde type JC. 

"I came to visit you. It's a surprise. I have two weeks off and I want to spend them with you." 

JC laughed. A few months ago he might of cared. Right now. He had other things to do. 

"Well, then sweet cheeks I guess you wasted your time. I have no time for you." He turned to where Justin and Chris were standing. They had been joined by Joey and Lance. 

"Did you guys know about this?" They didn't answer. 

"Yes. You did. A bunch of cowboys trying to save JC." 

He turned back to Hailey. 

"News flash there ain't nothin to save me from. I am just fine." He turned to walk away and then looked back at Hailey. 

"Next time call. See if I have time for you." 

That was the last straw for Hailey. She grabbed his arm and pulled him around. 

"What the hell is wrong with you? You don't call me for like a month and then you treat me like this. Explain yourself right now, dude?" JC looked at her and Chris yelled, 

"Hey don't use the word dude..it bugs..." The guys hit him. This was no time to be joking. 

Chris put his hand over his mouth. "Ooops, Sorry!!" 

JC looked at her. Looked her up and down. She was pretty. He had always thought so. She had red hair and dark brown eyes. Hailey didn't like the look that he was giving her. Before she could think he pulled her close to him. 

"Well, since your here maybe there is something we can do?" The leer on his face made his implication clear. She pushed him away. She slapped him right in his face. 

 

"You unimaginable bastard. I came here to be with JC. Not this...this..half ass man standing in front of me. I have no clue what happened to you but I hate it." JC leered at her. 

"Well, thank you for that insight to my psyche. I think my hour is up. " He turned to leave again. 

Hailey was close to hysteria. This was not at all what she expected when she arrived there. She tried one more time. She grabbed his arm. 

"Josh wait" He turned and looked at her. He pulled his arm out her grasp. 

"I think we are done talking Hailey." He started to walk away. She could not let him leave. She went up and pulled on his arm one more time. This time he shoved her away from him. 

"Leave me the hell alone." 

He turned and ran away before he could see that he had shoved her off balance. She fell and hit her head on a cement divider. He was gone before he could see the blood. The rest of the guys were quick to run to her. 

"O my god..Hail..Girl wake up!" Justin was the first one there. Lance called 911 on his ever present cell phone. Joey and Chris scrambled for some clean towels and stuff. She was un conscience. 

Just as Joey and Chris came out of the trailer, Bobbie came onto the scene. 

"O MY GOD, what happened?" Justin looked up while holding a towel to the wound on her head. 

"JC. JC is what happened." 

Bobbie couldn't move. This was her fault. If she had something a few days ago about what she saw none of this would have happened.


	6. Chapter 6

The ambulance got there and it was decided that Justin would go with her to the hospital. Bobbie told the rest of the guys that they needed to stick around. 

"Lance get a hold of Johnny. We have to talk." 

About ten minutes later everyone was waiting for Johnny. As well as word from Justin. Hailey didn't look good when they left with her. The mood was subdued. Lance was talking quietly on the phone trying to get a hold of Corrie. Chris was sitting on a couch, with his leg bouncing up and down, and Joey was muttering curse words and trying to remember names of people he could get "a favor" from back in NY. 

Chris's phone rang and he answered it. 

"Hello?!?!" It was Justin. 

"They took her into X-ray just now. She had to get about 12 stitches in her head. The had to cut off all of her hair. She is going to be so pissed about that. Anyway, that's what's going on right now. I will call you when I have more." Chris was nodding his head. 

"OK, J. Keep us posted. Tell her we all love her." 

"I will. See ya." Chris hit end on his phone and reiterated what Justin had just said. 

Joey looked at Bobbie. For some reason he was the one that was taking things in hand. 

"What do you know about all this Bobbie? A few days ago you acted like you knew something." Bobbie sighed. She did not want to say this more than once. Just then she was saved by Johnny and Lonnie entering the bus. 

"OK What's going on guys?" 

Joey explained what had happened. Johnny was quiet for a few minutes. 

"Does anyone have any ideas why he is behaving like this?" Johnny asked, but he already knew the answer. There was only one thing that would cause a person to change like that. Drugs. And not nice ones either. 

"No. We don't know for sure, but we all have our guesses." Johnny sighed and got on the phone. The first thing was to postpone the next few shows. No one knew what was going to happen to JC. He was the first priority. So was Hailey. He liked Hailey. Of all the friends of the guys, she was one of the best. 

After Johnny made his phone calls, he sat on a couch. 

"Now what?" This was so far out of his realm he was totally in the dark as to what to do. 

"Kick his ass the second he walks in the door." Joey said with a low growl indicating again that JC's life was in mortal danger as soon as he showed his face. 

"AMEN, to that." Chris yelled. 

Bobbie stepped in. 

"No need to kill anyone. JC has a problem. A big one. We need to help him. It's not going to be easy. Not by a long shot...but" Before she could finish, the topic of conversation walked in the door. 

JC looked around. 

"Damn, why aren't you people gone. And what are you doing here Johnny?" JC was feeling pretty good. He just came from a party and was ready to head to another one when Bobbie spoke up. 

"I told him to come. WE..as in all of us need to talk." JC rolled his eyes. 

"O great, family meeting. But we can't have one, the baby of the family ain't here. Sorry." He put on a fake pout then laughed and started to get out the door, but Lonnie was blocking it. 

Joey stood up and got in JC's face. 

"Do you WANT to know where Justin is? Go on ask. Ask where Justin is. I dare you, you piece of !@#$. Ask me where Justin is!!" JC decided to play along with Joey's little game. 

"Ok JOEY, where is the little punk?" 

There was dead silence as Joey said, "at the hospital with an unconscience Hailey." JC blinked. Hailey. Hospital. He was confused. 

"Were they in an accident or something?" Joey laughed humorlessly. JC looked at Chris and Lance and they averted their eyes. He looked at Bobbie. She too looked away. This whole thing was wrong somehow. Hailey was fine 3 hours ago. He didn't get it. 

Johnny spoke up. 

"JC, she was put in the hospital...by you." JC blinked. 

"WHAT? What are you talking about? I didn't do anything to her. You all have lost it." He turned to leave again. Being effectively blocked by Lonnie again. 

Bobbie went up to him. 

"Have we JC? Maybe. Maybe not. But, I know why you are the way you are right now. So, should you tell them or will I?" JC looked at her. 'How could she possibly know anything. It was a bluff' 

"There is nothing to tell, Bobbie. Besides you lost rights to try and fix me a year ago. When you broke up with me." JC smiled that cocky smile he had been sporting for the last month. 

"Really. Nothing to tell. OK then." She walked up to him and put her hand in the pocket on the inside and pulled out the needle and vial of Heroin. She laid it on the table and told Lonnie to take JC's jacket. At that point JC knew he was screwed. The jacket got ripped off of him. 

On his arms were the tell tail signs of what his activities had been for the last couple of months. Bobbie started to cry. Johnny also was tearing up. Chris went into over hyper mode. 

"JC..what...that...tell me that is not what I think it is? JC tell me something to go on here. Dude you are not a junkie are you?" 

Lance just sat down with his head in his hands and said, "sweet Jesus." 

Joey said nothing. He had wanted to kill him. Now he wanted to help JC. Heroin was some nasty stuff. No wonder he was messed up. 

Again Bobbie spoke. 

"Guys you all are going to have to be here. Lonnie it's best if you stay too." She turned to look at JC. 

"We are going to detox him right here. Right now. No matter how long it takes. Then he is going into rehab." JC looked at her wide eyed. 

"Hell no. I ain't going into rehab." He didn't want to be fixed. Did he? The last time he shot up was like 3 hours ago. He was starting to lose the effect. So some of the things that had been said were cracking through the haze. 

Bobbie knew it was starting already. 

"Joey go clear one of the bottom bunks. He is going to need to lie down. Who wants first watch?" Lonnie raised his hand. 

"I know that during the early stages they can get violent. I'll take it." JC was starting to get dizzy and cold. He let Lonnie drag him into the bed. 

As soon as he laid down he tried to get back up. Lonnie pushed him down. 

"Your not going anywhere C. Not tonight." JC laid back down as blackness took over his brain. But before he did he called for Hailey.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Justin was pacing around the hallway, just outside the door where they were taking care of Hailey. He was so pissed. He had no idea what got into JC. But whatever it was he had better fix it damn quick. 

He looked in the small window on the door and saw the doctors checking her eyes again. The doctor turned to the nurse and shrugged his shoulders. 'That can't be good,' Justin thought. He walked over to a chair and sat down. He put his head in his hands. 

His cell phone rang. He looked to see who it was. 

"Thank god," he said out loud. 

"Brit. Finally. I have something to tell you." He proceeded to explain the events of the last few hours. After he was done talking he heard Britney crying. 

"J have you heard what C's problem is? I mean it has to be something drastic to make him be like that." Justin sighed. 

"I have my ideas, I just don't want to believe them." 

Justin himself was close to tears. 

"J, sweetie? Do you want me to come out there? Wade will understand. He will probably want to be there to. You guys are like his brothers." Justin didn't know what to do. Having Brit there would be so nice. But her and Wade were working on her tour. 

"Besides, J I want to make sure Hail is OK. She is my friend too." Justin thought a second. 

"Yea Brit I would." 

"Ok J, I will talk to Wade right now and get on the next flight. I love you J." Justin smiled. 

"Love you too Brit." Justin hit end on his phone and put it back in his pocket. 

He saw the doctor come out of Hailey's room. He walked up to Justin. 

"Mr. Timberlake." He held out his hand and Justin shook it. 

"Has any of her family been reached yet?" Justin shook his head. 

"No. We left a message, but her cousin works nights and we don't have her cell phone number." The doctor nodded. 

"Well, as soon as you hear from someone let me know. We have a few things to ask." Justin nodded his head. 

"Ok, sir. Do you have anything new about her condition?" 

The doctor waved his hand for Justin to sit down in the chair. He sat next to him. 

"Since we don't have any family members here and I know who you are I will make an exception to the family only rule." Justin smiled. 

"She suffered a massive bruise to her brain. This caused her to shut down. To allow for the brain to heel. He reflexes and things seem to be ok. We are not sure how long this will last. But, we are confident that once she wakes up she will be perfectly fine." 

Justin sighed heavily. 

"Thank god. I was so worried. Can I go in and see her?" The doctor nodded. 

"Sure but only for like 10 minutes." Justin got up and walked into the room. He walked over to her bed and put his hand on her cheek. 

"Hey girl, you need to wake up. We need to figure out what's up with C. The guys all send their love. I am sure they will be here tomorrow. They are trying to take care of JC." Justin couldn't believe how white she looked. He knew he should let her sleep. 

"Ok I am going to go and update the guys. I need sleep and you need to rest." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. 

"See ya later girl friend." 

It was a 30 minute drive from the hospital to where the bus was parked. He had called on his way out of the hospital to find out where everyone was. He was a little confused as to why everyone was still there. 

He soon found out.


	8. Chapter 8

Justin walked up and heard a lot of screaming."What the...." he said out loud as someone or something hit the side of the bus from inside. He just shook his head and walked in. His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw JC pinned to the ground by Lonnie. Lance and Joey were keeping his legs still. 

He looked over and saw Johnny nursing a bloody nose, Chris was next to Bobbie holding onto her because she was crying. When Chris saw Justin, he jumped up off the couch and ran to him. Even before he could process what he was seeing, Chris asked Justin how Hailey was. 

"Dude how is Hailey?" At the mention of her name JC stilled. 'Hailey.' Something was wrong with Hailey. JC stopped fighting. He had no idea why he was fighting these guys. They slowly let him up and JC stood. Everyone was looking at him. This was one of his moments of clarity in an otherwise hellish night. These are the times he realizes what he has done. 

He looked at Justin standing by the door. He felt that Justin had no clue what his problem was. Heck, JC didn't know what is problem was. JC walked over and looked at Justin. He knew he hurt Hailey. He just didn't know how bad. 

"How is she, J?" Justin swallowed and started to answer when JC started rubbing his arm wildly. He got a glazed look on his face and started yelling. 

"God, why don't these things leave me alone?" 

Justin looked at JC's arms. He didn't see anything, but before he could speak Chris pulled JC away. 

"Come on, C. I will help you." 

Justin watched as Chris and JC walked to the back of the bus. Chris laid JC down. 

"Get rid of them Chris. Please get them off of me." 

This had been happening every few minutes for the last few hours. They had no clue what JC saw on him but they were real to him. 

Hallucinations. They were the worst. Second only to the violent spurts in which JC had unbelievable strength. 

Chris moved his hand up and down JC. 

"Ok they are gone,C." JC smiled at him. 

"Thanks Chris." JC fell asleep almost instantly. 

Although is was fitful. Any sleep had in the past few hours was fitful. One minute he was cold wanting a blanket, then in no time at all he was hot kicking the blankets off. 

Chris moved to sit in the on the bunk across from JC. He knew he would be up and down. So he didn't want to fall asleep in case JC needed something more from him. So, he grabbed a book and started reading it. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

"What in the hell is going on here?" Justin asked in a shocked tone. Lance went on to explain what was going on with JC. Justin was beside himself. By the time they were done explaining what was wrong Justin was crying. 

"O my god." He was so confused. 

"How could JC get into heroin or any drug period. But heroin, dude that requires needles and JC don't do needles?!!?" 

Lance and Joey looked at him. This was the same question that they had asked a few hours ago. Bobbie had explained it well. 

"Well, J. Chances are that he was using other stuff first. And when you are on drugs, you feel no fear. You feel like you can do anything." 

Justin sat down next to Bobbie and looked at her. He smiled slightly. 

"How is Hailey, J?" Justin sighed. He proceeded to explain what was going on with her. They were all very worried. About everyone. 

"Has anyone gotten a hold of Corrie?" Lance nodded. 

"Yea, she got on a midnight flight. She is going to go right to the hospital when she get's here and then call us to let us know she is here." Justin was happy about that. Hailey needed someone with her. 

There was silence for a little while as everyone processed their thoughts. Justin spoke up first. Asked the question that they all wanted to ask. 

"Johnny,what are we going to do? We need to get C some help. "The rest of the guys agreed. At the same time Chris walked into the room. 

"Dude I am tired. Thirsty. Drained." 

Johnny looked at the four guys and noticed how in just a few short hours they seemed to have matured. 

"Guys we do need to talk about what is going to happen." Bobbie stood up. 

"I will go in with JC. You guys talk." 

She walked back and sat down on the floor next to JC. She felt his head. It was so hot and he was sweating so bad. She got a cool washcloth and put it on his head. His eyes opened. He looked at her, but she could tell that he wasn't really focusing on her. 

"Thank you Hailey. I love you, ya know?" Then his eyes closed once again and he fell back into a fitful sleep. 

Bobbie smiled and whispered "she loves you too." 

~~~~~~~ 

Johnny was letting the guys know that JC was going to need a lot more help. Since none of them new the extent of his drug use, the best option was putting him in rehab. 

"We need to get him somewhere, where they will clean him up. Figure out WHY he started down this road. We all know that when JC recovers from this and realizes what he has done, especially to Hailey, he is going to be extremely angry. At himself mostly. So our first order of business is finding a place for C to go." 

Joey spoke up. "We need the best place that money can get. I don't care how much it costs as long as JC gets better." 

The other three guys nodded their agreement. 

"We need to find a place that will be discreet. This does not need to be public knowledge. We should leave that up to C. If he wants to come clean to the fans that's his call. It is going to be hard enough on him without the press hounding him all the time. He has issues. They need to be fixed. Privately." 

They all look at Chris. Justin smiled at him. 

"What?" 

"Dude, you just said something that makes sense." Chris smiled. 

"Well, when it is important I can be normal." At that they laugh. 

Johnny speaks up again. 

"What about the tour guys?" They all thought for a while and Lance spoke first. 

"Well, I say we postpone it for a month. Stating that JC has some health issues that he has to work out. Then after the month let him decide if he is ready to roll. He can join us then. If he is not ready, then we do the last few shows without him." Justin nodded. 

"That sounds good to me. How about you guys?" He looked at Joey and Chris. 

"Sounds good." 

"Yup, cool here." 

"Alright then." Johnny grabbed a cell phone and started the ball rolling on finding a place for JC to go. 

Again the boys sat in silence until Lance spoke up. 

"What are we going to do if C wants to quit all together? What if all this is just too much for him?" They all look at each other and shrug. 

"Lance, if it means that C is healthy and happy then it's cool with me." Joey, Chris and Lance all nod their heads. 

Whatever is best for JC is what they were going to do.


	9. Chapter 9

Hailey opened her eyes slowly and looked around. 'Where am I?' She heard voices. They were talking about blood pressure. The last thing she remembered was... 

"O MY GOD"...... she sat straight up and the fell right back down as a wave of dizziness and nausea overcame her. 

"O God," she groaned. As she put her hand up to her head. She was not going to open her eyes again. Maybe if she didn't, what she thought she remembered was not what really happened. 

She felt a hand on her forehead. She opened her eyes just a little bit. She smiled weakly. 

"Cor." Corrie blinked back tears. She had been at the hospital for three hours. She had called Justin and he had given her a quick run down of the JC situation. 

"Hey, Hail. How you feeling?" Hailey blinked. 

"Like I have been hit by a Mack truck and the driver backed up to make sure he got me." 

Corrie chuckled a little. "Well, you look a little better than that." She looked at Hailey trying to decide how much to tell her right now. Hailey looked at Corrie and started to cry. 

"Cor,what happened? Why did JC do this?" Corrie remained silent, not knowing what to say. She thought it would be better for Justin or even JC himself to tell her. 

"Corrie, I can't believe him. I..I...don't know what to think. He hit me. JC hit me. He never laid a hand on me before. And the things he said. God, that wasn't my JC. Not the JC I am in love with." 

Hailey was crying heavily now. She didn't know what to think. She just knew that whatever JC's problem was she wanted nothing to do with him. She relaxed a little and fell back to sleep. 

Corrie's cell phone rang and she answered it. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Cor, it's Justin. How is she?" She walked out into the hallway. 

"She woke up, J. She woke up. She remembers everything. I feel so bad for her." Justin sighed. 

"Well, things are interesting here. JC is a little better and in the morning we are taking him to a place in Washington State. It's supposed to be the best." 

Corrie knew that with those guys JC was on the road to recovery. Although she was not to sure how Hailey would feel about all of it. 

"That's good. Tell C, that I wish him luck and give him a hug for me." 

"I can do that. We all will be there as soon as JC and Johnny are on the plane. Brit just got here. So did Wade. So you will be able to get some sleep" Corrie smiled. 

"J have you got any sleep?" 

Justin sighed. "No, way to much has been going on here." Corrie heard some yelling in the back ground. 

"Hey Cor I gotta go. Talk to you later." 

"Ok bye J." 

Corrie walked back into the hospital room and sat down in the chair again. Laid her head back and tried to get a little bit of sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"JUSTIN!! Get in here hurry!!" Justin hung up the phone and went running to the bunk that JC was in. He now was getting sick. Justin blinked back tears as he watched JC lay there throwing up and grabbing his stomach in agonizing pain. He definitely was going to do more anti-drug ads. Watching someone, especially someone close to you, go through withdrawal is an anti-drug. 

Chris and Lance were taking their turn sleeping. So Joey and him were on JC watch duty. Along with Bobbie. She wouldn't sleep at all. She stilled cared for him. So, as Joey was washing JC's face with a cold cloth, Justin was cleaning up. Not the best job, but they all have done things that night that they didn't want to. 

Joey finally got JC back into the bunk and covered up. JC was having one of his more clear moments. 

"I am sorry Joe. So sorry." He started to cry. Joey blinked back tears. 

"I know C. I know. We are going to get you help. We love ya man." Before JC could answer, he was racked with another pain that made his body feel like it was on fire. Justin and Joey sat on the bed next to him talking to him and letting him know that this was going to pass. 

The pains only lasted for like 30 seconds, but Justin thought they lasted a lot longer. When this last one passed, he gave JC a drink of water and cooled his face down again. Joey looked at his watch it was 4 in the morning. 

"J why don't you lay down for a few. I will be ok. I think maybe he will sleep a little now." Justin yawned as if on cue. 

"Ok but wake me if you need me." He went over to the other bunk and laid down. He was asleep before Joey could say goodnight. Joey took his spot on the floor and laid his head on the pillow next to JC. That way he would wake up at any movement that JC made.


	10. Chapter 10

JC woke up and saw Joey with his head next to his. He looked over and saw Justin in the other bunk. His head was a little clearer than it had been. He tried to sit up but Joey's hand stopped him. 

They looked each other in the eye. Joey was readying for a fight. JC saw it in his eyes. He vaguely remembered bits and pieces of the previous night. His head hurt so bad and he was so cold that he was shivering. He couldn't think straight, let alone have the energy to fight. So, he laid back down and Joey covered him up with another blanket. 

"Joe, is..where..how...what did I do?" Joey blinked back tears. He knew once JC realized what all he did he would be devastated. He looked into JC's eyes. He smiled at him because some of the old JC was in his eyes. 

"Don't worry about it right now, C. Just concentrate on getting better ok?" 

JC nodded an laid his head back to go to sleep, when an image of Hailey came to his mind. 

"O my god, Joe, Hailey? What did I do to Hailey?" Joey didn't want to answer him. Justin sat up at that time and looked at JC. JC looked at Justin as some of the things that he said to the younger guy came back to him. 

"J...I am..." Justin held his hand up. 

"C, I know it wasn't you talking. You need help." 

JC nodded. Now that he had gone almost 9 hours without shooting up, his head was a little clearer. He knew he needed help. A lot of it. 

"I know J. I know. I promise to get it. Whatever it takes. But what about Hailey? Did I do something to her?" Joey had gone into the bathroom by this time. 

Justin nodded. 

"Yea C. You did. You shoved her and she fell. She was knocked out. She is awake now. But we weren't sure what was going to happen." JC closed his eyes. 'Jesus.' 

He just laid there in silence as some of the previous afternoon came back to him. He started to cry. He had hurt Hailey. 

"J, does she hate me?" 

Justin shrugged. "I don't know C. She woke up about 3 hours ago and I haven't talked to her yet." JC nodded. 

"I have to talk to her J. NOW." JC spoke that last part loudly, which brought the rest of the crew into the small area. Chris and Lance sat on the bunk across from JC. Joey sat by his head and Justin at his feet. 

JC could see how tired his best friends were. He knew he was the reason. He looked at Chris. He had sudden memory of what he had said to Chris. 'No wonder he won't look at me in the eye.' 

"Chris, buddy look at me." 

Chris looked up. He was still upset about what JC had said a few days earlier, even though he knew it wasn't the real JC talking. 

"I am so sorry man." 

JC knew that he was going to have to say that a lot. Probably for years. Especially to Hailey. Hailey. 

"I need to talk to her. I need to talk to Hailey." The guys look at each other. Johnny had told them that he was going to have to leave first thing in the morning. No time to talk to her. But, they thought a quick phone call would be ok. 

"This is what's going on C. Johnny found a rehab place in Washington State. It's great. You are leaving first thing." Lance looked at his watch. 

"In like 1 hour to be exact." 

JC looked at the guys. They were really worried about him. 

"You mean I can't see her? I almost killed her. I need to talk to her." 

The guys all looked at each other. Lance shrugged his shoulders. 

"Maybe a short phone call. You still are not completely done with this. The withdrawal from heroin, lasts for days. You need to get some place. Fast." 

Lance dials the hospital room. Corrie answers the phone. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Cor, it's Lance. Is Hail awake?" Corrie said yea and asked why. 

"C, wants to talk to her?" Corrie looked at Hailey who just discovered that she lost most of her hair. She was pissed. 

"I'm not to sure she will want to talk to him. But I will give it a try." 

Lance gave the phone to JC. JC waited to here someone say hi. He heard Corrie tell Hailey that the phone was for her. And he heard her yelling about her hair. 

"He made me lose my hair!! HELLO?!" She said into the phone loudly. JC swallowed. He had no idea what to say. He hated himself. He hurt the woman he loved. 

"Hailey?" He said quietly. He heard take in her breath. 

"JC?" JC swallowed. 

"Yea, Hail it's me. I..." Before he could finish his sentence she started yelling. 

"I have nothing to say to you right now JC. Nothing at all. So, I think before I say something I might regret later I am hanging up." She ended the call. 

JC blinked back tears. He deserved no less. He looked at the guys. He now had more of a reason to get clean. To get his best friend back. So that he could tell her he loved her. 

"Guys, I am ready to go."


	11. Chapter 11

When Hailey hung up the phone she glared at Corrie. 

"Cor, why did you do that? I so didn't want to talk to him. Not right now anyhow." 

Corrie walked over to the side of the bed. 

"Hail, he wanted to talk to you. He is your best friend. Even though he hasn't been acting like it." Corrie took her hand. 

"Hail, you know JC would not hurt you or anyone else unless something was seriously wrong." Hailey looked Corrie in the eye. She did know that. She knew JC had a problem. Corrie hadn't explained exactly what it was, but she knew in her heart that the JC she loved was still in there somewhere. 

"I know Cor. I know. I am just pissed. Dude made me lose my hair." She picked up the mirror again. She had hair that was down to her waist. It had taken her 7 years to get it that long. Now it pretty much shaved off. Corrie laughed. 

"What's so funny? I don't think any of this is funny." Corrie settled down. 

"Hail, JC hit you, shoved you and knocked you out. He basically almost killed you. The one thing you latch on to is your hair. You are pissed at him because you had to cut your hair." Corrie started laughing again. Hailey started to laugh as well. Although really none of it was a laughing matter, putting things in perspective her hair was the least of her worries. 

"You're right Cor. I am sorry. Are you going to tell me exactly what is wrong with JC, or do I have to guess on my own?" Corrie looked at her. She had hoped to wait until Justin and the rest of the guys showed up. They could explain it better. She had only a brief overview that Justin had explained to her at about three in the morning. 

"Ok Hail, I will tell you all I know. It's not much right now, so when J and the rest show up they can fill in the blanks." She pulled up a chair and began to tell Hailey that the man she loved had a serious drug problem. 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Johnny, C said he wanted to get going as soon as possible. But now he is..." Lance was cut off by JC shoving him into the wall and grabbing his cell phone. JC pushed the end button. 

"I am not going anywhere. I don't need help." Lance blinked back tears. JC was hurting him. Just as Lance was going to say something, Joey pulled JC off of him. JC turned and punched Joey right in the face. 

"Get the hell off of me, fat boy." Joey grabbed his nose. It was bleeding. Chris and Justin grabbed both of JC's arms, and pushed him to the ground. 

All four of the guys had expected JC to have another episode, they had hoped it would be when they were on their way to the airport. When reinforcements were there. As JC was packing he started getting mad. Swearing about Hailey. Blaming her for his problems. Then he turned and hit Justin. Told him to get away. He could pack himself. 

Bobbie had run out to get Lonnie. JC was about to go out the door when he heard Lance on the phone. Things went from bad to worse. JC again had that strength that no two people could fight. JC kicked Chris and then hit Justin upside the head. He jumped up and started out the door. 

Just as he stepped down, he ran into Lonnie, Bobbie and Johnny. They backed him into the bus. 

"Just where do you think you are going?" Johnny asked. 

"Away from here. I don't need help. I don't need any of you." Just then another pain racked his body and head and he fell to the floor. 

Lonnie picked him up and laid him on the couch. 

The other four guys were sitting there in stunned silence. 

"Dude, does this get any better? Is he going to have to go through this for a long time?" Chris asked to anyone who would answer. 

"I sure hope not." Lance said. 

"I can't believe how strong he gets when he is like this. I mean he even knocked me down." Chris, Joey, and Lance look at Justin. 

"What?" They start to chuckle a little at Justin's ego,which sometimes gets the better of him. 

They all sat there for about 10 minutes thinking. JC had fallen asleep almost instantly. They needed to get him to the airport. But they were worried about what would happen if he had an episode while on the plane, so Johnny hired a private jet to take them to Washington. 

JC woke up slowly and looked around. Again being in a coherent state of mind for the time being. 'Damn', he thought. He had no idea why they stuck around. He vaguely remember being an ass again. So he sat up and looked at his friends, his best friends looking at him. 

"I am sorry guys. I think I might have to say that for a long time." He saw Joey nursing his bloody nose. 

"Sorry Joe." 

"Look C, we know that when you do this stuff it's not you. It's the drugs. So don't worry about it, ok? We will be ok. You have to worry about you now. Just you." JC blinked back tears. 

"Thanks Lance." JC stood up. 

"I guess I should finish packing." He walked into the back of the bus. Lonnie followed him. 

He only had one more thing to get. His journal, which he hadn't written in over a month, and a picture of himself and Hailey. His favorite one. He looked at it. He whispered, 

"Hail, I promise to get help and be the old JC. I love you girl." He put the picture in his bag and closed it. He turned around, a little to fast and fell on the bed. Lonnie was right there. 

"Thanks, Lonnie. I sure hope that stops too." He laughed a little as he walked to where the guys were waiting. 

"Ok Johnny let's get going."


	12. Chapter 12

Corrie had finished telling Hailey everything she knew. Hailey didn't take it too well. She started crying and hyper ventilating. Something she hadn't done in a long time. She only did it when she was really, really distraught. The last time had been when JC had left to be in NSYNC. 

Corrie looked at her cousin. The doctors had given her a sedative. It must have been pretty strong because Hailey was out in 3 minutes. Corrie stood up and stretched. She looked at her watch. 8AM. She had only been here for 6 hours. It felt like forever. 

She was hungry. Very hungry. She looked at Hailey one more time. Confident that she would be asleep for a while, she left to get some food. She started to go down to the cafeteria when she saw Britney and Wade walking towards her. Corrie having known Brit and the guys forever thought nothing of it. She was friends with them. But Wade was a different story. 

"Corrie" Britney came running up and gave her a hug. 

"How is Hail? Justin called me last night. I got here as soon as I could." Corrie smiled. She and Justin were the cutest couple. 

"She is doing good. She is pissed because all of her hair got cut off. But everything seems to be ok." She walked over to sit on a chair by the wall. Britney and Wade followed her. 

"Have you guys seen JC or any of the other guys yet?" 

Wade shook his head. 

"No. We came right here from the airport. We wanted to leave as soon as Justin called, but the flights were all booked." 

"Yeah, I called Justin as soon as we landed and told him we were coming right here. He said that they would be here in a couple of hours." 

Corrie nodded. 

"Ok. Hailey is sleeping anyway. They had to give her a sedative." Corrie stood up. Wade and Britney were looking at her. 

"Didn't J tell you what was up?" Wade shook his head. 

"No, he was in a hurry. He said he would talk to us later. But assured us everything was going to be ok. Why? What's going on?" 

Corrie looked at Britney. She would understand why Hailey needed a sedative. She has know Hailey as long as Justin has. 

"Guys, JC has a serious problem. He has been....doing drugs. Heroin specifically. That's why he has been the way he has the last couple of months." 

"Oh my god Cor. Hail. She must have been nuts." Then she realized what Corrie had said about a sedative. 

"Did she hyper ventilate and stuff again?" Britney knew what happened to Hailey when she was under extreme stress. 

"Yea, but they said she would be ok. She just needed to sleep." 

"Has she talked to JC at all?" Wade asked. Corrie turned to him. 

"Ahhh..he tried. But she was too pissed at him. Of all things, she was pissed about her hair. She didn't know about the drugs when she talked to him. I told her that later." 

The three of them were silent for a little while. Corrie had been under control for the last few hours. She wanted to be strong for Hailey. For everyone. But now that she had a moment to process everything, she started to cry. Wade put his arm around her in an attempt to comfort the distraught girl. He had only known her for a year, but he knew she was great. He also knew that she loved her cousin. 

"Everything is going to be ok, Cor. Hailey will be fine." 

Corrie sniffed as tears fell from her eyes. She raised up and looked at Wade. 

"Thanks Wade." She smiled. 

"No problem." He held her for a few more Minutes. In the silence her stomach growled. Britney chuckled under her breath, which made Wade laugh. Then Corrie followed. 

"I was heading to get something to eat when you guys showed up." She stood up. 

" I guess I was hungrier than I thought." Wade looked at her. 

"Let's go get something to eat then." 

Britney smiled to herself. When they had arrived, Wade stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Corrie walking towards them. When she asked what was wrong he said nothing. Nothing at all was wrong. She knew then. Wade had a thing for Cor. 

"Hey why don't you guys go. I will go sit with Hail for a little bit." 

Wade made eye contact with Britney over Corrie's head. She winked at him and he smiled. 

"Sure. I'm good with that. Cor?" Corrie swallowed. Lunch. Alone. With Wade. She had never been alone with him. Whenever she saw him there were a bunch of people around him. 

"Sure. No problem." 

"Ok. You two go. Relax a little Cor. Hailey is going to need all the support she can get. So is C." Corrie smiled. Britney was such a sweet girl. 

"Thanks, Brit." 

"No problem. Now go. Get out of here." 

Wade takes Corrie's hand and drags her down the hall. Britney goes into Hailey's room. Hailey was still sleeping. So, Britney sat down in the chair next to the bed and picked up a book that Hailey was reading. 

~~~~~~~~~ 

JC and Johnny were on their way to the airport. JC told the guys to do the last few shows without him. It was too hard to try and reschedule. Lance was not having any of that. Joey, Justin, Lance, and Chris all said that they would wait a month then let him decide what he wanted to do. 

JC blinked back tears. He couldn't believe how, after the way he had been the last couple of months, they were behind him like this. 

That and what he had done to Hail. That alone should have made the guys hate him. But, it didn't. They told him they loved him and wanted him to get better. 

Hailey. JC closed his eyes and laid his head back. He hated himself. He almost killed the woman he loved. He started shivering. 

He was getting the chills again. 

"Johnny. I am so cold." Johnny looked at him. Joey gave him a blanket as he was leaving saying that they would need it before they got to the airport. He laid it on top of JC. Tears coming to his eyes. 

He loved these boys. Almost like they were his kids. When anything bad happened to them he felt it. He did everything he could to make it better. This was the worst thing to happen. 

JC looked at Johnny. 

"Thanks Johnny." He smiled at him. 

"Your welcome." JC laid his head back against the seat again. Hailey. He needed to know she was ok. 

"Johnny?" Johnny looked at him. 

"Can I call the hospital? I just want to know if she is OK?" Johnny thought about it for a second. 

"Sure." He handed the phone to JC. He remembered Justin telling the guys what room she was in. So he dialed. After about the third ring, someone answered. 

"Hello?" JC knew it wasn't Hailey. 

"Hi, is this Hailey Anderson's room?" 

"Yes, it is...JC is that you?" 

"Yes, it is. Britney...?" 

Britney started to cry. 

"Yeah C, it is. Are you ok?" JC blinked back tears. 

"I will be Brit, I will be. How is Hail? Is she OK?" Britney looked at Hailey who woke up when the phone rang. They were looking at each other. 

"Yes, JC. She is better. The doctors said she will be fine. She just needs to rest." 

JC heard some muffled conversation in the background. Hailey was awake. He heard Britney talking to Hailey. 

"You sure Hail?" 

"Yeah Brit. Just give me the phone." JC swallowed hard when he realized that Hailey wanted to talk to him. 

"JC?" He couldn't answer her. He couldn't speak. 

"I know you are there JC, so I will just tell you what I have to say. Make sure you let the people help you. Don't let your pride get in the way. Everything is going to be ok. I will be here for you. Always. Goodbye JC." She hung up the phone. 

JC couldn't say anything to her if his life depended on it. He whispered.. 

"I love you Hail." He knew she didn't hear him. She wouldn't believe him if she did. He just had to get better and prove it to her. He handed Johnny's phone back to him and laid his head back against the seat.


	13. Chapter 13

Hailey hung up the phone and looked at Britney. "Brit, I'm scared." She started to cry. Britney got up and sat next to her on the bed and put her arms around her. 

"I know you are Hail. But, I think everything will be ok." 

Hailey sat there and cried. She couldn't believe what had happened. Her best friend and the man that she loved with all of her heart, beat the hell out of her. Then she finds out that he is doing drugs. Heroin at that. She was still in state of shock that JC had gotten so into drugs that he would shoot up. Needles. He hated needles. 

Hailey loved JC with all her heart. She was pissed because this was not the way this weekend was supposed to turn out. She let go of Britney and laid back down. Britney went back to sit in the chair. 

Hailey closed her eyes and thought about JC. How he used to be. She knew that the JC she loved was still there. With help he would be ok. But now she was scared. Scared of him. She knew she shouldn't be, but she was. 'The mind is a weird thing,' she thought. She knew that what he did to her was the drugs, but she still had a fear of him. 

Hopefully things would get back to normal as soon as possible. She opened her eyes because she heard loud talking and laughter coming from the hall. Then Justin, Joey, Lance and Chris all walked into her room with the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen. 

Justin walked over and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then turned and grabbed Britney. He kissed her. 

"Thanks for coming out here, Brit." She smiled at him. 

"Hey, you knew I would. Hail is one of my best friends too." 

They walk out into the hall to have a little privacy. 

"Hail, we will be back in a few OK?" 

Hailey smiled. 

"Go, J. No problem. Thanks for everything." 

Justin winked at her and grabbed Britney's hand and left the room. 

Hailey looked up a the other three guys standing by her bed and had a severe sense of loss. No JC. She blinked back tears. Joey grabbed her hand. 

"Hey Hail, everything is going to be OK. When C left this morning he was determined to get help." 

Hailey looked at him and then noticed his nose. 

"What happened to you Joe?" 

Joey looked at the other guys. 

"Nothing." 

Hailey knew he was lying. She looked at Lance. He had bruises around his neck. 

"Jesus. Did JC do all that to you guys?" 

Chris spoke up first. 

"It wasn't JC. It was the drugs. We didn't really know what withdrawal was like. It is so bad Hail. He was sick. Violent. Cold. Hot. We haven't even slept yet." 

Hailey looked at the three of them. She smiled. With friends like that she knew JC would be OK. 

"So where did Johnny take him?" she asked. 

"To some place in Washington. It's a really great place. He should be ok there." 

Hailey nodded.She suddenly felt very tired. She was happy that the guys came to see her, but now she wanted to sleep some more. 

"Hey, guys. You know I love you all and that I am glad you are all here, but I would like to get some sleep. I'm sorry." 

"Hey girl no problem. We will wait outside and let you sleep." 

Lance leaned over and gave he kiss on the forehead. As did Joey and Chris. 

"If you need us we will be right outside, OK?" 

"OK. Thanks Chris." 

She leaned back and closed her eyes. She needed to sleep. The three guys walked outside to sit in the waiting room. Johnny told them to take as much time as needed. He flew with JC to the rehab center and would be back in a few days. 

They all went into the waiting room and decided to play a game or something. They had to wait for Corrie and Wade anyhow. They were still at lunch. 

"Look Joey..they have Clue." Chris ran up and grabbed the game from the shelf. 

"I'm Miss Scarlett" Chris said in a high pitched voice. 

They set the game up to play.


	14. Chapter 14

After about 2 hours, with Joey being the Clue champion, Corrie and Britney went in to check on Hailey. She was sitting up. and she was crying. Corrie sat on one side of her and Britney on the other. 

"Hail, what's wrong?" 

Hailey looked at them. 

"I had a nightmare. JC was hitting me and this time he almost killed me." 

Corrie and Britney looked at each other. They had no clue what to say. 

"Is it normal to be afraid of your best friend. To be afraid of the man that you love?" 

"Under the circumstances, I would say yes," Corrie said. 

"Yea, I mean if Justin did something like that I would be hard pressed not to be terrified myself." 

Hailey looked at Britney. Then at Corrie. 

"I just want to go home. Back to Maryland." 

"I will let the guys know. Maybe they can get you out of here." 

"Thanks Brit." 

Britney smiled, squeezed Hailey's hand and left the room. 

"Hail are you sure you want to go back so soon?" Corrie asked concerned. 

Hailey nodded. 

"Yea. I can take the next few days and recover." 

She reached up to touch her hair. 

"And to get a decent haircut." 

Corrie smiled. 'Leave it to Hailey. Humorous even under the worst circumstances.' 

"Ok then. I will go talk to the doctor with the guys." She got up and left the room. 

Hailey laid her head back down, but didn't close her eyes. Every time she did, visions of JC, not good ones either, would invade her mind. 

 

~~~~~~ 

 

JC and Johnny were on the plane to Washington. JC had been sleeping for most of the trip so far. Which Johnny was grateful for. The last few hours had been hard. Very hard. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen we are making one final approach to Seattle International Airport. Please put your trays up and buckle your safety belts." 

Johnny shook JC. 

"JC wake up." 

JC sat up. 

"Hailey." 

JC looked around. There was no Hailey. Just Johnny and him on a plane bound for a place where he could get help. JC looked at Johnny. 

"Sorry. I was dreaming. Do you think she will ever forgive me?" 

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. 

"I don't know. You guys have been through everything together. I am sure she would forgive you, but I would bet that things are never going to be the same." 

JC stretched his arms above his head. 

"I know. I think I blew any chance of her loving me out of the water." 

He blinked back tears at that thought. He had loved her for so long and never told her. He should have told. Years ago. Like when NSYNC started. Instead he put his career first and somehow lost sight of the one thing in his life that was always there. Always stable. 

He remembered how one time when they were talking on the phone about two years before hand, she had told him she would love him no matter what. 'Yea right. Love. No matter what.' He didn't think that included drug abuse, disrespecting his friends and bandmates, beating up and almost killing his best friend, or just being a general ass. 

As the plane was landing, JC made a determination. To prove to the guys that he was or at least was going to be the reliable JC that they knew. Also he was going to show Hailey, despite what she may think of him now, he was her best friend and that he was sorry beyond what any words could say. 

That was the least he could do seeing as that he killed any other feelings she might have had for him. Or even could have felt for him. He had no clue what he was going to do or say to make things right with everyone. He knew it started with him. Him getting help. He also knew Hailey. His sweet ever loving, always there for him no matter what, Hailey would be afraid of him. Terrified in fact. 

When the plane stopped, JC grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment, Johnny grabbed his as well. As they were walking towards the exit, Johnny's phone rang. 

"Hello?" 

He heard a small voice on the end say hello. 

"Hail is that you?" 

"Yea it's me. Don't tell JC. I don't want to talk to him. I just wanted you to know that I am going back to Maryland. I still have almost two weeks off and can rest. Could you call me there and let me know how JC is? I want to know but I want as little contact with him as possible right now." 

Johnny nodded his head and said, "Sure no problem. Any messages?" 

Hailey sighed. 

"Yea just tell him that I lo...tell him I will always think of him as my best friend. Tell him to get himself better so he can fix things with the guys!" 

Johnny swallowed as JC watched him converse with the woman he loved. 

"Sure I can do that. What about you?" 

Hailey shrugged. 

"I don't know Johnny. Right now I am to confused and extremely pissed off to think straight. I will cross that bridge when I come to it." 

Johnny nodded. 

"Ok then girl. Get yourself better and I promise to take good care of things on this end. Bye." 

"Bye." 

JC was looking at Johnny. 

"Hailey ok?" 

"Yea. She is going back to Maryland." 

He then went on to give JC the message. JC blinked back tears. She wanted him better. Because of the guys. Not because she wanted him. As a friend or anything else for that matter. He knew that's how she would feel and he didn't blame her. He just had to fix everything. He had to make it right. He hoped to god she meant what she said all those years ago. That she would love him no matter what.


	15. Chapter 15

6 weeks later 

Hailey was sitting in a chair in her kitchen. She had just received a letter from JC. Her hands were shaking so badly she had to put the letter down. If she had been the drinking type she would have downed two shots of Bacardi Rum by now. 

It had been six weeks since JC had gone into rehab. Nobody but his family was allowed to have contact with him for the first month. She got regular updates from his sister. He was doing great. He did everything that was required of him. This was due in part to a friend he made while in there. 

She smiled as she remembered the conversation she had with Justin on the phone about it. 

...flashback... 

"You have got to be kidding J?!?! There is no way those two had become friends." 

Justin chuckled. 

"Yea well we are all surprised. He even got JC to help him make some public service announcements for drug and alcohol abuse." 

This caused Hailey to laugh a little. 

"Can you picture that J? JC Chasez from NSYNC teaming up with bad boy AJ McLean from The Backstreet Boys. Dude those are going to be awesome." 

They were silent for a few seconds. 

"Hail, are you going to call him? He has heard from all of the people he loves except the one that means the most to him." 

Hailey sat there for a little bit. 

"J, I don't know if I can. I am still having those nightmares. If those would just stop, I could put it out of my mind. I mean I know it was the drugs and that he would never hurt me intentionally, but my psychosis say another thing." 

She let the tears fall freely that she had been holding in. 

"I still love him J. More than anything in this world. But I am scared to death of him now. It makes no sense at all but that's how it is. I think about going to see him, helping him. Being with him. Then I think 'what if he falls off the wagon, what if he starts up again. Will he kill me this time?'. Not pleasant thoughts I know, but they are the ones that I have." 

Justin blinked back tears. He knew how she felt. To a lesser extent they all felt that way. Chris in fact had done a complete turn around in the way he acted when he was around JC. Chris's take on it was that in a mind set like JC was in, there had to be some truth to how he felt. Chris was hurt. JC had done everything in his power to let Chris know that he loved him. The way he was. Chris still acts different around him. 

"I am sorry for that Hail. Maybe you guys should talk. Face to face. If you look at him and tell him how you feel, he can reassure you. That's all I can say." 

Hailey sighed. "Maybe J. Maybe. I can't promise anything. I miss him terribly though." 

Her warring emotions were starting to piss her off. She usually had control. But in the past 2 months she seems to have lost that. She has no control. Over anything. Especially her feelings for JC. She loved him. She missed him. She hated him. She was scared of him. It was making her crazy. 

"J, tell him I said hi ok? At least then he knows I haven't forgotten about him completely." 

"No prob Hail. Listen I gotta go. Brit wants to go shopping. One thing I have to say, this will be a nice break for the rest of us even though we are going to be worried sick about JC. We all can get recharged." 

Hailey nodded into the phone. 

"That's true." 

She laughs because she hears Brit yelling for Justin to get going. 

"Come on J. Tell her bye and that I will call her tonight." 

"I heard her J. Get going." 

"Ok bye Hail" 

...end flashback... 

That was a week ago. She still hadn't worked up the nerve to call him. 'Damn,' she thought to herself. JC was her best friend. He had been there for everything bad that happened in her life. Her parents dying. Finding her boyfriend cheating on her. Everything, and what does she do? She blows him off as soon as he hits a crisis situation. She sucked as a friend. There would be no way that JC would even believe she was in love with him now. Even if she did get the guts to see him and tell him. 

She should be with him. She should have been with him from the beginning. She picked up the letter. No return address, but she knew it was from him. The handwriting. His handwriting sucked. Most people needed a degree in ancient Egyptian writing to decipher half of what he wrote, but she could read everything. 

She turned it over and slowly opened the back. She sat there looking at it. 

"Just pull out the damn thing already?!?!" 

She screamed and turned around and saw Corrie standing behind her. 

"What the hell, Cor?!?! You scared the living daylights out of me." 

Corrie laughed. 

"Sorry, but you were driving me nuts with the whole should I read it or not debate that was going on your head. Just read it and get it over with. Any decisions to be made can be made AFTER you read it." 

Hailey scowled at Corrie. She was right. She HAD to read it. She had to start getting things right with JC. She had told him once a long time ago, when he left for NSYNC that she would love him no matter what. She meant something more, but he assumed it was as a friend. She needed to prove that to him now. Now more than ever. 

She picked the envelope up and pulled the letter out. 

 

Hail,...


	16. Chapter 16

Hail,   
I have no idea where to even start this letter and that pisses me off to no end. I used to be able to pick up a pen and paper and write and write to you. Now it seems I have ruined that. Not that I deserve any better, but if I could open up to you like I used to then maybe I could fix us. 

I know that I ruined everything even before I....(it kills me to write this) put you in the hospital. I know I shut you out. Maybe if I hadn't this would have never gotten this far. 

All I can say is I'm sorry. Sorry doesn't even begin to describe the remorse I feel for what I have done. To you. to everyone. I want so badly to go back in time. To when it was just you, me and the pogo stick in the front yard. 

You mastered the damn thing and I fell on my face every time. You were always there to pick me up. I remember the last time you had picked me up, after a particularly embarrassing turn on the thing, you said, "Josh, I will be here to pick you up. Every time." 

I wish I hadn't blown that. I need you Hail. I need you to pick me up. I just...just need you. I have my family. I have the guys. I don't have you. 

I know it might sound selfish, and maybe it is. I am doing better Hail. A lot better. I can kick this thing. I know I can. With everyone supporting me. Even if you...we can't get back to what we had. Even if you no longer feel the same about me. If you can't recapture the wonderment of what we had as friends, can you at least forgive me? Forgive me for hurting you so badly, both physically and mentally? I know I don't deserve it. But if you can find it in your heart to do that, I can go on. Knowing you have forgiven me would give me hope that maybe someday we can get our friendship back. 

I miss you Hailey Ann, miss you so much it hurts. It hurts even worse to know that I have caused you so much pain. 

So, I guess all I am asking is for a chance to prove that...I am the same old JC that you care about. Forgive me Hail? Please. 

Josh 

 

When Hailey was done reading the letter she was in tears. She looked up at Corrie and handed her the letter. When Corrie was done reading she too was in tears. 

"O Hail, sweetie, I know this is hard." 

Hailey looked at the letter and noticed that there were stains on the paper. Like someone had been crying on it. 

"Cor, he was crying when he wrote this. " She showed the spots to Corrie. 

"What are you going to Hail?" 

She shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't believe he remembered about the pogo stick. 

"I guess I have to go see him, Cor. I am going to fly to him. Hopefully I can get over this fear I have of him. He so shouldn't see me being scared of him. That would make things so much worse." 

Corrie sighed a breath of relief. She had talked to Wade the night before and he had seen JC. He was in Washington for a week. Wade told her that JC is having the hardest time dealing with Hailey. That losing her was worse that coming off the drugs. 

They were all worried that if Hail and JC didn't at least talk, he would fall right back to what he was doing. She was his lifeline and right now he didn't have it. It scared him. The only reason that Wade knew this is because he sat in on one of the family/freind sessions. 

Wade had told Corrie that it was so hard to see JC break down and cry. It made him cry. 

"When do you want to go? Wade is there right now." 

Hailey smiled a little. Since she had been in the hospital, Wade and Corrie have been almost inseparable. 

"Do you want to come too?" 

Corrie's eyes got big. Then she smiled. To see Wade would be great. That and she knew Hailey would need someone else with her. 

"Sure. Let me call work and see what I can arrange as far as vacation. Then we can make arrangements." 

Hailey picked the letter back up and read it again. 'I'm coming Josh. I promise to pick you up again' she said out loud. "I love you."


	17. Chapter 17

Hailey and Corrie arrived at the airport a little early. Wade was going to meet them. He was only there for a couple more days. Each of the guys had been taking turns visiting with JC for about a week each. Justin's turn was coming around again. 

"Cor, let's get a drink. I am dying." 

They walk over to one of the snack stands and order a couple of Pepsi's. They walked over and sat where Wade will be able to see them when he got there. 

They didn't have to wait very long. Hailey was reading a magazine article about Heath Ledger and she heard Corrie say under her breath, "he's here!" 

Hailey looked up to see Wade walking towards them. She looked at Corrie and smiled. 'Boy does she have it bad.' 

"Are you going to tell him?" Hailey asked with a smirk. 

 

It was so nice to be on the opposite end of the 'tell him you love him' conversation. Corrie looked at her as she was standing up. 

"Tell him what?" Corrie asked with fiened innocence. 

Hailey stood up and whispered in her ear just as Wade got up to them, 

"Tell him you love him?" 

Corrie dropped her bag and scowled at Hail and gave her a look that said 'shut up'. 

"Hey girls, how long have you been waiting?" He gave Hailey a hug and then Corrie one. A slightly longer one at that. 

"Not long. We came in early and Hail needed a Pepsi. You know her and Pepsi." In her defense Hailey spoke up. 

"Hey, all they have on planes is Coke. So excuse me if I want a real soda!!!" They all laugh. 

Wade gets Corrie's and Hailey's bags. 

"Do you guys have any bags checked?" 

"Nope. We have everything right there. " Wade was impressed. 

"Wow. Girls who don't pack 900 bags for a week." Wade said impressed. 

Hailey and Corrie fall in behind him. Corrie pinches Hailey in the arm. 

"He is sooooo hot!" 

Hailey chuckled. 

"I know Cor. I know." 

 

~~~~~~~~ 

JC was sitting on the front porch of the rehab center he was staying at. It was a little chillier out than usual, but that was ok. Because he was alone. He wanted to be alone for a while. Wade had been here all week. He smiled. All the guys had been great. One of them had been here the whole time. According to the plan that he saw at work, Justin was due to be back. 

He sat up and started to pace the floor. It was all well and good that his band mates, his brothers were here, but he wanted someone else. He wondered how she reacted to the letter. She should have gotten by now. 

He had asked Wade if Corrie had said anything about it. He had said no. 'Maybe she didn't even read it. Maybe she truly hates me now.' It was times like these that JC could see himself falling back into his old habits. He shook his head fiercely. 'NO!' He had to remember that the rest of the guys had forgiven him. His family had forgiven him. But he had hurt Hail the worst. He almost killed her. So, he knew that fixing that relationship was going to take a hell of a lot longer. 

He looked at his watch. It was 1:30 PM. He and AJ had gotten a game of basketball together. So he had to go and get the teams ready. As he was walking he was thinking about AJ. He smiled to himself as remembered the when he saw him the first time. 

...flashback... 

JC was feeling restless. He had only been here a week and he was getting stir crazy. He was not used to all of this downtime. So, he decided to take a walk. He passed by the study and saw a light on. 'Who else would be up at this hour?' 

He opened the door and a head popped up from reading a book. 

"AJ?!?!?!" AJ looked at him with wide eyes. 

"JC?!?!!?" They just stood there looking at each other for a few seconds. JC spoke first. 

"Boy would this make a picture for the magazines?" AJ cracked a smile. 

"Yes. Yes it would. What are you doing here man? How long have you been here? Dude this is weird." AJ finished with a deep breath. 

JC nodded. He went over and sat next to him. 

" I have a drug problem." JC showed AJ his arms. 

"HOLY !@#$! JC! Dude!" 

"Thank you AJ." They laughed. Both realizing, that now they were two guys who had problems. Not two guys competing for the love and adoration of millions of screaming fans and for record sales. They were just two guys who could understand each other. 

...end flashback... 

So after that they worked together to kick the demons that they faced. Needless to say it was interesting when the rest of their friends found out about their new found friendship. They all worked it out and for the sake of AJ and JC decided to get along. 

AJ was out in like a week. So this was going to be the last basketball game of "the season" as AJ started calling it. It was the drunks vs. the druggies. They were all tied. 3-3. This was going to be the tie-breaking game. 

AJ was already there coaching his team. JC smiled at him and just happened to look up at the glass door behind him. AJ looked at JC's face. It had gone white and his eyes were wide. AJ turned around and saw what JC saw.


	18. Chapter 18

JC couldn't believe it. She was standing on the other side of the door. Watching him. His eyes filled with tears. He just stood there staring at her. AJ came up next to him. 

"That Hailey?" AJ asked already knowing the answer. 

All JC could do was nod his head. 

He started to walk to the door. Hailey's eyes got wide and he immediately saw the fear in them. This made the tears fall. He was almost to the door when she turned and took off at a run out of the building. This broke his heart into a million pieces. He screamed her name. 

"HAILEYYYYYY!!!, and fell to his knees. Not caring that all the people around him were looking at him. 

AJ came up and kneeled next to him. 

"Dude, I am so sorry. I know it feels like you just got kicked in the balls but, you can't let this ruin all the progress you have made. Let's go for a walk OK?" JC wiped away the tears that had fallen on his cheeks. 

"OK Sure. Thanks AJ" 

Momentarily the basketball game was forgotten. 

 

~~~~~ 

Wade and Corrie had said they would wait in the car. Corrie looked up to see Hailey running towards them. 

 

"Hail, what happened?" 

She collapsed on the pavement next to the car. 

"I couldn't do it. I saw him there. He looked at me. I looked at him. He walked towards me with one of his drop dead gorgeous smiles....and I ran. The fear. It just was too much to handle." Hailey just sat there and cried. 'I am such an ass.' She stood up. She looked at the building. 

"It's not going to happen today guys. I am so sorry." 

"Wade why don't you go in and see if he is OK for me. Tell him I am sorry. We can take a cab to the hotel." 

Wade nodded his head. 

"OK. I will see you guys later. Let's go out for dinner. My treat." Hailey wiped her eyes. 

"Thanks Wade. That's sweet of you." 

Wade went into the building to check on JC. Corrie called a cab. Hailey just stood there looking at the building. She shouldn't have run. She knew he saw that she was scared. She should have let him prove that he would never do that again. But the images of that day and her nightmares were to much. 

~~~~ 

 

Wade went into JC's room and saw him talking to AJ. "Hey, AJ." 

" Hey choreographer boy." Wade laughed. AJ always called him that. Never used his name. 

"You OK C?" JC looked up at Wade. 

"She ran away from me Wade. I hurt her so bad that she is scared of me. Where is she right now?" 

Wade went to the window and saw Hailey and Corrie standing there waiting for the taxi. 

"She is outside waiting for a cab." Wade pointed to the window. 

 

JC walked over and looked out. He saw Corrie and Hailey talking. Corrie put her arms around Hailey and hugged her. When they pulled up he saw that she had been crying. 

The taxi pulled up and Corrie got in. Hailey looked at the building one more time and got in the cab. 

JC let more tears fall out of his eyes. AJ walked up to him. 

"I'm so sorry man." 

"Yea, me too C." JC turned around and looked at the two guys. 

"Thanks. But, I deserve no less. I knew it would be hard to fix this. It just hurts so bad to know that I caused her that much pain." 

He walked over to his dresser and pulled out the picture of her and him that he had brought with him. 

"We used to talk for hours. She would come to me whenever she had a problem. She would come whenever I had a problem for that matter. No matter what was going on in my life she was there for me. She supported me. She helped me. She was..IS everything to me." 

Wade and AJ sat on the floor in front of him. 

"Why didn't you ever tell her you loved her C?" JC looked at Wade. He shrugged. 

"I have no idea. I was scared. I was afraid that it would ruin what we had. What if she didn't love me back? I just couldn't handle it. And the more I was around her the more I fell in love with her. I don't know when or how I fell for her but I did." 

JC stood up and walked to the window again. "That was part of the reason I was up that night. The night that I first tried drugs. I couldn't sleep. I was thinking about Hail and whether or not I should tell her how I felt. That on top of other stuff just made me a prime candidate for drugs 101." 

JC sighed, "Now I have ruined everything anyhow." 

"You might not have, I talk to Corrie a lot. I get from her that Hail is just as upset by how she is feeling as you are. She wants to work through it. Just give her time." Wade reasoned. 

AJ spoke up. 

"That's all any of us can do. Wait. Give things time. Eventually everything will work out one way or the other." 

JC turned and looked at the other two guys. "I guess you are right. I love her. I just have to wait until she is ready." He pushed himself away from the window. 

"Well, AJ. I think there is a basketball game that needs to be played." AJ smiled. 

"You sure?" 

"Yup. Very sure. You want to watch Wade?" 

"Sure. I don't have to be back for a couple of hours. So what is this basketball game for?" 

AJ and JC laugh. As they walk to the court they tell Wade what it's all about.


	19. Chapter 19

Three days later... 

After dropping Wade off at the airport, Hailey had Corrie drive to where JC was. She was determined to see him this time. They drive into the parking lot and Corrie puts the car in park. Hailey was breathing heavily. 

"Hail, are you going to go in?" 

Hailey looked at the building. This was her last chance. They were leaving in two hours. 

"I am going in. Wish me luck Cor." 

Corrie smiled at her. 

"Good luck Hail." 

Hailey gets out of the car and walks slowly up the stairs. When she opens the door it was empty. There was no one around. She looked in a few places and couldn't find a soul. 'Strange,' she thought. 

Since she couldn't find JC, she decided to leave a note. She grabbed a notebook from behind the desk. 

 

JC,   
Hi. Well, I guess now it's my turn not to know what to say. There is so much I want to say. I don't want to put it on paper though. When you get out of here we have to talk. I just wanted you to know I was here and that I am sorry for running the last time. Things are just complicated and I am not dealing so well...but nevermind. Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself. I will try and get my own issues worked out before you get home. Take care JC.   
Love   
Hail 

 

She folded up the letter and put it on the desk with his name on the front. She looked around one more time and then left. 

~~~~ 

 

It was a nice day outside and they were throwing AJ a getting out party. Everyone was so proud of him. He got in there almost two months ago in bad shape and was so much better. He even seemed happy. 

JC decided to take a walk. He still had two weeks to go. As he turned the corner he saw a girl get in a car. When he realized who it was, it was too late. She was already gone. 'Damn' he missed her again. 

He walked into the building. He saw the letter sitting on the desk. He recognized her handwriting. He smiled to himself as he opened and read it. Just as he got done reading it AJ walked in. 

"Hey, man your missing the cake." 

JC looked up at him. 

"I just got a note from Hail." 

AJ looked around. 

"She was here? When?" 

"I imagine while we were outside. She couldn't find us so she left me a note." 

AJ walked up to JC. 

"Was it good note or bad note? Ya know hey I was an ass and I'm sorry or dude, I don't want to talk to you lily white ass again?" 

JC laughed. "It is a good note. I think. She wants to talk. As soon as I get out of here." 

The rest of the afternoon was busy with AJ getting packed and ready to go. 

Finally it was time for him to leave. JC walked with him to the lobby and the rest of the guys from BSB were waiting for him. 

Before they got to the guys, JC stopped. 

"Dude, you go on without me. I will say good-bye here. You don't need your worst enemy walking with you to the doors." 

AJ laughed. 

"Remember, one day at a time man. That's all we can do." 

AJ slapped a piece of paper in JC's hand. JC looked at it. It was his phone number. 

"Hey just because the press says we hate each other, don't mean we really have to. Call me. Besides we need to get those ads done." 

JC smiled. 

"Thanks man." 

They give each other a hug. 

JC watches as he is surrounded by his friends and family. As AJ leaves he turns and gives JC a thumbs up. JC returns the gesture with a smile. 

Suddenly things got very lonely for JC. 'I will be ok. I will' He looks at the paper in his hand and puts it his back pocket and strides to his room.


	20. Chapter 20

Hailey and Corrie were sitting in Corrie house. Hailey had decided to stay with Corrie for a few days after they had returned from Washington. Hailey was in a bit of funk after the way she handled the whole JC thing. 

She knew she was wrong in running. All should could do now was wait. He was going to be out of rehab in less than a week. Hailey was getting up to put some music on when the phone rang. 

"Hail, can you get that for me? my hands are all covered in cookie dough." 

"Sure no prob Cor." Hailey answers the phone. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Hail, is that you?" 

Hailey smiled. 

"Yea J it is. What's up?" 

She heard Justin sigh. 

"I just wanted to tell you that we are all going to be in Maryland next week. JC decided to go to his parents house instead back home to Orlando. We want to be there with him." 

Hailey had expected that. She knew the time was coming when they were going to have to talk. 

"Well, do you all need places to stay? Because Cor can stay with me and you all can have the house for a while." 

Justin yelled back to the guys what Hailey just said. She heard Wade yell. 

"Can I stay with Hail and Cor too?!?!" 

Hailey smiled. 

"J tell him no way. He is going to behave himself my cousin. You guys get the house and any girls that you bring will stay with us." 

Justin pouted. 

"Your no fun Hail." 

"Sorry J." 

"No prob. Anyway the guys said that sounded like a plan." 

Hailey walked into the kitchen. 

"Cool. We are looking forward to it." 

She sighed heavily. 

"I hope things can get back to normal soon." 

 

Justin knew she meant a lot by that. He knew she was having the hardest time dealing with her feelings for JC. 

"You OK Hail?" 

"No J. I'm, not." There was no reason to lie. 

"This whole thing sucks. I am still having the nightmares J. I can't make them stop." 

She started to cry again. She had been having these for almost 2 months now. "J, I can't even listen to him sing without having a panic attack. Much less look at his picture. This is just getting to be to much. I love him with everything I have, but I can't seem to break through this barrier in my mind. It's just awful." 

Justin knew how hard this was on her. She had even talked to a professional and they told her it was a reasonable reaction to what happened. Especially considering she was in love with him. 

"I know Hail. Well hopefully you can at least be at his parents house when he gets there." 

Hailey swallowed. 

"I can try Justin. I am not sure how it is going to go though." 

"I know girl. Listen I gotta get going we have a little bit of work to finish up on before we get there. Take care and give Cor a hug for me." 

"OK J I will." 

"Wade wants to talk to Corrie for a second." 

Hailey smiled. 

"OK." She turned toward Corrie who was just wiping off her hands. 

"Cor, Wade wants to talk to you." 

Corries eyes lit up and she grabbed the phone from Hailey. She walked into her bedroom and shut the door. 

Hailey walked back into the living room. She wanted to listen to some music. She sat down with Corrie's CD holder and perused her choices. 

"NSYNC, NSYNC, NSYNC, O-Town, 98 Degrees, Britney, Britney, BSB, BSB, BSB, Ja Rule, J-Lo, City High, Alien Ant Farm, and Neil Diamond." 

Hailey read the choices that Cor had in her CD player out loud to herself, 'What up with Neil Diamond?' She laughed. 

Then she remembered. They had watched Saving Silverman a few weeks earlier and she got the urge to listen to Neil. Hailey still laughing decided to give Backstreet Boys another chance. She always felt that listening to them was in some way disrespectful of JC. 

But, since AJ had JC had become close and helped each other she decided to give them a listen. She out pulled Black and Blue and read the songs on the back. One title that struck her was How Did I Fall In Love With You. So she put it in and hit number 13. She sat on the floor and started listening. 

~~~~ 

 

JC was deciding to pack a little early. He was leaving in two days to go home. He was going to Maryland to stay with his family for a while, and to hopefully work things out with Hailey. 

There was a knock on his door. The floor clerk was there. 

"JC, this was dropped off for you." She handed him a package. 

"Thanks Sara." 

She smiled and walked out the door. He sat on his bed and opened it. There was a CD with one song on it. It was a burned CD. He opened the note. It was from AJ. JC smiled as he read it. 

 

JC dude, 

Give this a listen. I am assuming that you have never really listened to any of our CD's. So that's why I am sending you this. I thought you might appreciate it. Howie helped write it. Take care man. Call me when you get out. 

AJ 

JC got up and went to his CD player. He looked at the title of the song How Did I Fall In Love With You. He put it in and pushed play. 

 

~~~~ 

On opposite sides of the country JC and Hailey were discovering the same song. 

 

How Did I Fall In Love With You 

(Howie Dorough/Calum Macoll/Andrew Fromm)   
Backstreet Boys/ Black and Blue 

Remember when, we never needed each other   
The best of friends like sister and brother   
We understood we'd never be... Alone 

Those days are gone, and I want you so much   
The night is long and I need your touch   
Don't know what to say   
Never meant to feel this way   
Don't want to be Alone tonight 

 

chorus: 

What can I do, to make you mine   
Falling so hard so fast this time   
What did I say, what did you do? 

How did I fall in love with you? 

I hear your voice and I start to tremble   
Brings back the child that, I resemble   
I cannot pretend, that we can still be friends   
Don't want to be, alone tonight 

 

chorus: 

What can I do, to make you mine   
Falling so hard so fast this time   
What did I say, what did you do? 

How did I fall in love with you? 

 

Bridge: 

Oh I want to say this right   
And it has to be tonight   
Just need you to know,   
oh yeah I don't want to live this life   
I don't want to say goodbye   
With you I wanna spend the rest of my life 

 

chorus: 

What can I do, to make it right   
Falling so hard so fast this time   
What did I say, what did you do? 

How did I fall in love with you? 

What can I do, to make it right   
Falling so hard so fast this time   
Everything's changed,   
We never knew 

How did I fall, in love , with you? 

After both JC and Hailey finished listening to the song they whispered each others names at the same time. 

"JC" 

"Hailey" 

~~~~~ 

Hailey was just staring at the radio when Corrie came out of her bedroom. 

"What is it Hail?" 

Hailey looked at her. 

"This song. Cor..JC. I..." She couldn't explain what happened. 

After the song finished she could have sworn that JC had called her name. She just shook her head. 'Great now I am going nuts.' 

"Just listen to this Corrie. I mean I know you have listened before but really listen this time." 

Hailey pushed play again and watched as Corrie heard the words. After the song was done Corrie was in tears. 

"Oh sweetie that's so perfect. It never even dawned on me. I have listened to that song a million times. " She reached over and gave her a hug. 

"Cor, I think I am ready to make things right with JC." 

Corrie smiled at her. 

"Great Hail. He will be so happy." 

~~~~~ 

JC also was staring at the radio. 'I thought the hallucinations were supposed to be done.' He shook his head. He looked at the letter that AJ had given him. He smiled to himself. He had a brilliant idea. 

He found AJ's phone number and called him. 

After the fourth ring he answered. 

"Hey speak." 

JC laughed. 

"Hi, AJ, it's me JC." 

"Hey JC what's up?" 

"I have a huge favor to ask of you." 

JC proceeded to explain what he needed from AJ.


	21. Chapter 21

Hailey was pacing back forth over her living room floor. After the song incident she had a few days earlier, she was able to stay in her apartment. The nightmares had ended and she was able to look at JC's pics and listen to him sing. 

She was looking so forward to seeing him that night. Wade had taken Corrie out for lunch. The rest of the guys did their own thing. That was OK by her. She wanted to relax a little before she saw JC. 

She was a little sad that the first time she would see him without all her issues about him would be around all of his friends and family. 

She walked out onto her balcony. She looked at her flowers that were still doing good despite how late in the year it was. Her phone rang and she answered it. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Hail, it's me J." 

"Hi J. Where are you I thought you were all going shopping." 

"Yea well we stopped by JC's parents to see if they wanted us to bring anything for tonight. But when got here there was change of plans." 

Hailey's heart sank. 

"What Justin?" 

"JC won't be here until tomorrow night. I guess his flight was canceled or something." 

Hailey sighed. 'Well it could have been worse' she thought. 

"Oh,OK. You scared me to death there J." 

"I'm sorry sweetie. Look um..the guys and I want to go see a movie and I guess Cor and Brit want to go with us. Do you want to go with us?" 

She was going to answer when she head him yell ouch. 

"You ok J.?" 

"Yea Chris just hit me. So?" 

"No. I think I will take a bubble bath and relax. You guys have a good time. Does Cor have the key to my apartment with her?" 

Justin yelled back to Corrie. 

"Yea she has it." 

"Good then I will lock the doors. Have fun." 

"Ok by girl see ya soon." 

Hailey hung up the phone and sighed. Maybe this was a good thing. Give her a little more time to get her thoughts straight. She looked at her watch. it was only 5:30 pm so she decided to watch a movie. 

She walked over to her movie case and picked out Say Anything. That was one of her favorite movies. When John Cusack held the radio up so that Ione Skye would hear that Peter Gabriel song she cried. That was one of her things. A guy singing or playing a song for. That always made her heart melt. 

~~~~ 

"Justin. Why did you ask her? Dude, what if she had said yes?" 

Justin turned around and looked at his friends. 

"Sorry guys. I just didn't want to hurt her feelings. 'Hail we are all going to a movie. Why don't you stay home?' Yea that would have been swift." 

There was a soft chuckle coming from the couch. 

"It's ok J. I'm sure she would have forgiven you. Thanks by the way guys. I appreciate this." 

Justin goes and sits next to JC on the couch. 

"Just so you know, I hate lying." 

JC hit Justin playfully. 

"I know. But hopefully after tonight everything will be fixed." 

JC had actually come in on an early flight. He stopped at his parents and explained what he wanted to do. How he wanted, needed to fix things with Hailey before he did anything else. They completely understood. 

Then he called Lance. Told him to get everyone except Hailey and meet at his parents house. 

So here they all were. Everyone seemed to be back to normal with him. 

All except Chris. Chris had changed. JC knew it was his fault. He said some very cruel things to him. He didn't mean them, but obviously Chris thought he did. His next operation was to get Chris to be the old Chris when they were together. 

"So, JC? You think this will work?" 

JC nodded his head. After that day he thought he heard her call his name he knew in his heart things would be ok. 

"I am positive guys." 

JC looked at his watch. 5:30 pm. "My reinforcements won't be here until 7:00pm. Let's watch a movie" 

All the guys agree and they let the girls pick it out. JC didn't care what they watched. He was just playing in his head how tonight was going to turn out.


	22. Chapter 22

7:00pm. Hailey looked at her clock. She decided to take her bubble bath. She got in and relaxed. It felt so good not to be stressing out. 

Now that she was determined to fix things with JC she slept better, ate better. Just all around felt better. 

She turned her CD player on repeat of the song that she had been listening non stop to for the last week. She laid her head back and started singing to herself. 

 

"Remember when we never needed each other..." 

 

~~~~~ 

 

There was a knock on JC's parents door. JC got up to answer it and AJ was standing on his porch. 

"AJ! Thanks man for doing this for me. "Thank all of you." 

He let all the members of BSB into his living room. Corrie stood in the corner and was at awe of the scene before her. 

The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC standing all in one room. Getting along. It was cool. 

JC spoke up. "OK guys you ready?" 

Brian, Nick, Kevin and Howie all nodded while AJ said, 

"Hell ya." 

They walk out of the house as JC waves to his bandmates. 

"Good luck C." 

"Thanks guys." 

~~~~ 

Hailey was putting on a pair of Just-Bottoms from Old Navy and a pink t-shirt. She was going to put in another movie. Then the doorbell rang. 

She went and opened it. In front of her was a single red rose and a note. All it said was 

"Please step out on to the porch" 

She looked around and stepped out. It was raining. Not a heavy rain but one that would get you pretty wet. When she got to the first step, there was another rose and note. 

This one told her to sit down. So she sat. In the rain. Waiting for god knows what. But, she was to intrigued to not follow the instructions. 

After a minute or so she saw a group of guys walk up and stand on the side walk in front of her. Her eyes got wide when she recognized them. 

She couldn't speak. 'What the hell are they here for?' Then they started to sing. Started to sing the song. Her eyes got wide and she started to cry. 

AJ came up and pulled her up so she was standing. 

"Where is he?" Hailey asked softly. 

AJ turned her so she could see JC sitting on the garden bench in her side yard. She smiled at him and walked slowly over to him while they finished singing How Did I Fall In Love With You. 

By the time she was over to him they were done singing, and she was drenched. So was JC. He had been sitting out in it as long as she had been. She looked at him and smiled. Then sat next to him. 

He stood up a got down in front of her on his knees. 

"Hailey Ann..." 

He reached up and touched her face. He was tearing up looking at her. 

 

"Josh.." 

She too touched his face and was crying. They just looked at each other. Neither knowing who should be the first to talk. 

Her first thought was how sexy he looked all wet. His shirt was clinging to him. Her second thought was just to tell him. Tell him straight out that she loved him. 

"JC, I love you. I have for a long time. I am so ...." 

Before she could finish he pulled her in for kiss. The kiss lasted for what seemed an eternity. 

When JC pulled back he looked her in the eye and said. 

 

"Hail, I love you too. I was just to scared to tell you. Then look what happened." 

Hailey put her fingers on his lips. 

"Shhh. Let's not talk about that. That wasn't you...and I forgive you." 

JC relaxed visibly. She forgave him. That's what he wanted to hear secondly only to her loving him. He blinked back tears. 

"Thank you Hail." 

She smiled at him. 

"I need you to forgive me too, Josh. I should never have...I should have been with you this whole time. Can you forgive me too?" 

JC smiled. He could forgive her for anything. 

"Yes, Hail. I do." 

She smiled at him and this time pulled him into a kiss. Hailey pulled back and looked at JC. 

"I think we need to get your buddies there in the house." 

JC turned to see AJ and the guys shivering on the porch. 

"Let's take them in and give them hot cocoa. And JC, thank you for this." 

She waved her hand towards the Backstreet Boys and flowers. 

"Anything for you Hailey." 

JC followed her into the house, thinking back again to the words that she had told him years ago. That she would love him no matter what. He would thank god everyday that she felt that way. 

"Come on JC, get in here. It's cold out there." 

He ran up the stairs and grabbed Hailey around her waist. He whispered in her ear, 

"I love you." 

She smiled and turned to him. "I love you too." 

They kiss again. This time all the guys applauded. JC and Hailey broke apart and bowed at the same time. 

"Alright boys, you all sit, and I will round up some hot cocoa." 

Hailey walked into the kitchen smiling to herself thankful that she was able to live up to what she said years ago. That she would love JC no matter what.


	23. Chapter 23

That night JC bared his soul to Hailey. Well all the parts she didn't know already. There were a lot of tears and laughing. Around 2:00 AM they fell asleep. JC was the first to wake up and he just watched her as she slept. He loved her so much. He was so happy that everything was finally getting back to normal. Well all except Chris. He smiled to himself as tried to get up off the couch without waking Hailey. 

"JC?" He kissed her forehead. 

"Shh. Sweetheart. Just go back to sleep. I have something to do. I will be back soon." She smiled up at him. 

"Ok. I love you JC." 

"Love you too Hailey." He gave her a kiss that deepened the longer he was there. 

"Ok I gotta go." He stood up and looked for where Nick had crashed. 

All the guys had crashed at Hailey's place that night. He found Nick on the floor in her bedroom. He walked in and kneeled down to wake him up. 

"Nick wake up!" He opened his eyes. 

"JC? What's wrong?" 

"Nothing. I just need to talk to you for a second." 

Nick stood up and they walked into the kitchen. 

"I need a favor Nick." 

~~~~~~~ 

JC and Nick had formulated a plan that was bound to get results. A week later things were set in motion. JC was hoping that what he was going to do would help Chris, be Chris..all the time. Even around him. 

JC and AJ had just finished the last of the three public service announcements. He was surprised at how well all the fans took his drug problem. 

They were all at JC's house in Orlando where he was living again. Hailey was there a lot because she was planning a wedding. Wade and Corrie had decided to get hitched. Even before Hailey and JC. JC wanted to wait awhile. He still had a lot of stuff to go through to make sure he was 100% 

JC smiled as he saw the familiar Red PT Cruiser pull into his driveway. The other guys were already there. Chris got out and walked up to JC. 

"HI, JC." 

JC tried to give him a high five but Chris just grabbed his hand and shook it. 

Time to implement the plan. 

"OK everyone gather around." 

Just as he said that he saw another car come up the driveway. 'Perfect timing' he thought. 

"I just wanted to say thank you. To all of you guys." 

Hailey came up to stand next to him. She had two boxes with her. 

"I know you, all know I am sorry." He looked right at Chris and said, 

"For everything I said. I did. All of it." He turned to the first box and pulled out stuff for the guys. 

"Here are some presents to show my love for you guys." 

Hailey passed out the gifts. Each received something that they would appreciate. When she was done all but Chris had anything. 

He didn't say anything. He just looked at JC. JC walked up to him. 

"Now, Chris. Yours is extra special." He turned and got two other boxes out of his car. He handed one to Chris and opened the other himself. 

When Chris opened his box his eyes got big. 

"A SCOOTER?!?!" He yelled and then shut his mouth. He pulled it out and unfolded it. As he was doing that, two other people came out from behind JC's car. One was Nick Carter. The other Aaron. On a scooter. Everyone started laughing remembering what JC had said to Chris months ago. 

Before he knew it JC was on the scooter, going around the driveway with Aaron. He stopped in front of Chris. 

"Come on man. Jump on a scooter and take off with Aaron Carter" 

Chris was trying his damnedest to keep a straight face. Before he could say anything JC was gone again around the driveway with Aaron. 

This time when JC stopped in front of Chris there were tears in his eyes. 

"I am sorry man. I love ya. I would never want you to change. Your perfect they way you are." 

This time Chris teared up. 

"Thanks JC." He gave him a quick hug and jumped on his scooter. 

"No one will ever beat me!!! I am the scooter king!" Chris yelled as he chased Aaron down and challenged him to a race. 

JC looked up to see Hailey looking at him. She smiled and winked. 

She mouthed, "I love you." 

JC smiled and winked back. He took off on his scooter to show Chris and Aaron who the true scooter champion was. He laughed because now everything was made right


End file.
